Improvement in washing-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

LEVIS COLVER, OF LOUISVILLE,KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 12,996, dated June 5, 1855.

To LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS W. CoLvER, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Washing Clothes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, and which represents a perspective view of the machine with a portion of the Wash-box represented as broken away to show the interior thereof.

The nature of my invention relates to the means by which the clothes to be washed are given adouble motion through the suds-viz., a reciprocating one from end to end of the Wash-box and a rotary motion at the same time, by which means they are turned over and over again while passing through the suds.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawing.

'lhe supporting-frame A maybe constructed in any well-known substantial manner, and of a size corresponding to the amount of work required of the machine, as they may be used for hotels, hospitals, or for private houses, doing a greater orless amount of Washing with equal facility.

B represents the wash or suds box of an oblong form, in which is placed a circular crate or basket C for containing the clothes. This crate or basket may be formed of slats or rods, so that the water shall have free access to and from the clothes, and is also provided with a door for putting in and taking out the clothes. A cross-head D extends across the inside of the suds-box, and its ends are so bent round as to form thebearings for the journals of the crate, basket, or creel, which contains the clothes to be washed.` A connecting-rod E extends from the cross-h ead D inside of the wash-box to the cross-head F outside,'which moves on the ways G, attached to the frame A. If the rod E should pass through the wash-box below the water-line in the wash-box, it should be packed in any well-known manner to prevent leakage; but there will be no diliiculty in making this connection above the water-line, and thus avoid the necessity o-f packing. y

On the crank-shaft H is arranged a gearwheel I, which meshes with a pinion J on thc shaft K, and on this shaft K is placed, first, the balance or fly wheel L, and out-side ot' this the pinion a, which Works into an oblong change-Wheel M, which is driven by said pinion. To the change-wheel M is connected a pitman N, which is united to the cross-head l?, and through which a reciprocating motion is given to the crate, basket, or creel, while it also rotates around its own center, thus receiving a double motion-viz., a reciprocating one through the box from end to end and a rotary motion around its oWn axis. The clothes by this operation are not rubbed or injured. They are Washed by being rolled over and over, the water being constantly changed, and thus undergoing a rinsing operation all the time.

I am fully aware that clothes have been washed in machines by being put in a crate or basket and rotated in a suds-box; but in these the clothes scarcely ever change their positions, and there is no Way of driving the water through them, (which really performs the washing.) I make no claim to such means or method; but,

Having fully described the nature of my invention, whatI do claim therein as new, and desire to secure by -Letters Patent, is-

The washing of clothes by placing them in a crate, basket, or creel which has a reciproeating motion through the suds or Wash box and at the same time a rotary motion around its own axis, by which means the position of the clothes is constantlychanging while they are forced through the water and are washed Without being rubbed or injured, the motion of said crate, basket, or creol being obtained by means substantially such as herein described and represented.

LEWIIS lV. (JOLVER.

lVitnesses:

B. A. CARPENTER, ALFRED BRoWNE. 

